"Where are we?" Daegan demanded.
Tzader replied, "Downtown Atlanta, very close to the location where the witches and Lanna are supposed to be. I'm calling Trey now." His weary voice sounded as if he'd been dragged the hundreds of miles they'd teleported from North Georgia to downtown Atlanta.
Evalle sniffed at the smell of Caribbean food and forgot about her queasy stomach. She could eat, but that wouldn't happen any time soon.
Daegan got cranked up again. "This is a waste of time."
Adrianna swung around to the dragon. "I'm beginning to think rescuing you is a waste of time."
"You should take care with your tone," he warned.
"And you should keep in mind that I'm trying to break that curse. Don't give me a reason to reconsider."
"Enough," Tzader said in a soft tone that Evalle recognized as his I'm-at-the-end-of-my-patience voice, which meant someone might die soon if they pushed him too far. "Where's Tristan?"
Evalle swung around and searched. "He should be here with us."
"He wasn't last time," Daegan pointed out.
"Over here," Tristan said, sounding pained.
Evalle searched behind the throne, which had landed near a brick wall.
Tristan sat ten feet away with his back against the bricks. She dropped onto her knees beside him. "Tristan?"
His head drooped. Blood seeped from his eyes and ran from his nose and ears.
Tzader was there next. "Heal yourself, Tristan."
"Can't. Too much effort."
Evalle put her fingers on his wrist and felt energy flowing through him, but very slowly. "I'll link with you then you can use my power."
"No. I can't ... fight. Don't use your power."
She looked at Tzader. "What are we going to do?"
Adrianna's soft voice called over, "Trey's here. I'm opening the cloaking for him."
Trey made eye contact with everyone, gave the dragon throne a slow look, and asked Daegan, "What'd you do to piss off someone badly enough to be turned into a chair?"
"Are you all dimwitted?"
Trey looked at Evalle, who said, "He's touchy about being ... that."
Everybody stared at Daegan, who poofed out smoke and ignored them. Trey glanced around then squatted next to Tzader. "What happened to Tristan?"
Tzader explained the multiple teleportation trips, which included two fights with the Medb. "Where are the witches?"
Pointing across the street, Trey said, "Just past that empty lot is a building that's boarded up. I've found a way in at the back, but there are still five warlocks in there and I'm betting they're the Scath Force you told me about."
"What is it with them sending out groups of five?" Evalle muttered.
Storm shrugged. "That allows enough for three to fight, one to circle around and attack from the back, and one to escape so he can report. Any more than that is too many to move covertly, and any less might be overpowered. That last group of ten was the second wave planned only if five couldn't do a job."
"He's right." Tzader wiped a hand over his mouth, thinking, and spoke softly to Trey, "You may need to leave at this point. Evalle and Tristan chose to come with me, but we're all rogue. Macha isn't going to cut anyone who helps us any slack."
"After Evalle told me where you were and about having the dragon with you, I talked to Sasha and Rowan. They know you three wouldn't be doing this unless you thought it was in all of our best interests. The Beladors' best interests. None of us trust VIPER since they accepted the Medb into the coalition. You, Evalle, and Quinn had my back when the Kujoo tried to take Sasha, and nobody else came to help me. I'm not walking away now."
Evalle worried about all of her friends, but she respected Trey's position. She hoped this dragon was worth the lives being risked.
Tzader nodded and looked around at their group. "Adrianna will have to stay here and keep Tristan and the dragon cloaked."
"No," Daegan ground out. "Do not leave me here with a witch and a half-alive gryphon."
Evalle murmured, "He's really getting on my nerves."
"I heard that."
Tzader stepped around in front of the dragon. "How are we supposed to fight the Medb coven's elite warriors while carrying you around, trying to keep you hidden, and keep the Medb from taking you back?"
"Break the curse, and you'll have a warrior like no other on your team."
Evalle came around so there was no confusion over her intent for him to hear her. "Have you always had trouble with self-esteem?"
"I believe the saying in this world is, 'It ain't braggin' if you can do it'." His big jaws curved into a smile.
Adrianna stepped up to the conversation. "I've got the cloaking stable if I'm staying in one place. I'll give breaking the curse another try, but we weren't making any headway back in TAmr Medb."
Daegan sighed, which was a strange sound coming from a dragon. "That's because the most difficult place to break this curse was TAmr Medb."
"Is there somewhere that makes it easier?" Adrianna asked, sounding just a bit exasperated at that information.
"Yes, but we have no chance of going there right now with the gryphon down."
"I see. Everyone step away from the dragon." She waved her arms to spread everyone away from the throne. "If teleporting in that shape didn't kill you, I guess you'll survive whatever I do."
"You can't kill me."
She arched a challenging eyebrow at him. "Lucky for you I agreed to do my best to keep you alive."
He did that dragon grin again until she added, "For now."
His silver eyes swirled, and the black diamond centers sharpened. "Get on with it, witch."
Adrianna cut her eyes to Evalle who said, "I know. We'll owe you big time. Please don't kill him or turn him into a coffee table."
Opening her palm, Adrianna called to the Witchlock power that rolled up in a swirling white ball. Energy steamed away as it spun on her palm.
Daegan got serious, asking, "Do you remember the spell and how we decided to break it?"
"Yes. Everyone please be very still, and stay out of my line of sight or you might be affected."
Evalle, Storm, Tzader, and Trey backed up several steps. Tristan was safe on the ground where he'd slumped. They had to get him to Treoir so he could recharge faster, but he was the only one who could teleport.
If she linked to him and drained her power, she risked Storm, Tzader, and Trey's lives when they fought the warlocks. Trey was the most rested and they needed his strength.
Still, she couldn't leave here without knowing Tristan would be okay until she returned.
Adrianna held the bright orb out toward Daegan and began speaking in Gaelic. Evalle knew that only because Adrianna had spoken similar words once before to trick a warlock's body into turning on itself.
Power poured from Adrianna's hand in a white vapor, wrapping around the throne again and again, growing brighter as she called out word after word of her chant.
The throne started shaking and the dragon stretched its head from one side to the other, as if trying to force his body out of that shape.
Adrianna's skin turned translucent and her lips went from ruby red to deep purple. Her blue eyes glowed and the words took actual form as they left her mouth, circling the dragon.
Daegan clenched his big jaws. Evalle flinched at the sound of tendons stretching and bones popping. His body was being torn apart. Muscles flexed and bulged along his neck, back, and arms.
The clawed fingers on one hand formed slowly, each digit breaking away from the fixed shape.
Then nothing.
Gasping for air, Adrianna slowed her chanting, then finally dropped her hand with the orb, which vanished as she closed her fingers. "That's all ... I can do. I can't break it. I'm sorry."
Even the dragon was fighting for air.
Worse than all that was the heartbreaking misery in Daegan's eyes. That misery spelled defeat.
How could anyone suffer being locked into that form and left
alive for two thousand years?
Evalle offered, "Let's rescue Mattie and the other witches, then we'll see if Rowan can help."
Adrianna shot her a look of doubt, but said nothing.
Hope danced once more in Daegan's eyes, breaking her heart again, because Evalle couldn't see how Rowan, a white witch, would succeed after Adrianna had used Witchlock on him. But Evalle had learned over the years that it ain't over 'til it's over.
One of Grady's strange sayings, but it somehow made sense at times like this.
Tzader cleared his throat. "Sounds like a plan." But his eyes contradicted the conviction in his voice. "We'll be back as soon as we can."
Evalle checked on Tristan again. "Let me give you some power before I leave, something to just get you started healing."
"Don't. I haven't died three times. I still have one regeneration left if this goes sideways."
She wasn't sure the regeneration would work with him so wiped out that he couldn't call up his beast or shift into a gryphon. "Okay, but tell Adrianna if you need help before I return. She's still got some juice even after that attempt at breaking the curse."
"I'm good. Go kick their asses so we can find a place for me to rest, or we'll never get back to Treoir."
She didn't have it in her to tell him that he couldn't teleport them soon enough to make it work for Brina anyway. Instead, she said, "Rest. I'll be back soon."
Adrianna opened a slit in the cloaking that Trey walked through with Evalle, Storm, and Tzader following.
When she crossed the street and looked back, the park appeared empty and would stay that way. Adrianna's cloaking also deterred any visitors.
Now if they could just make good on their vow to save the white witches.
Chapter 31
Tzader kept an eye on his team as they walked nonchalantly past the original Atlanta Life Insurance Building, which had been vacant for quite a while. Four stately columns stood along the front wall, reaching up to the third floor.
The captured white witches had been hidden right under their noses in the heart of the Sweet Auburn district in downtown Atlanta.
Shielding this from scrying or tracking must have taken a massive amount of power.
Queen Maeve and Cathbad would have that level of power, but no reason to stash the witches here instead of taking them back to TAmr Medb.
With a quick look around, Trey slipped into the shadows at the far side of the building. When he pointed up at the half-covered window where some of the boarding had rotted away, Tzader stepped up and cupped his hands.
To conserve their energy, Tzader signaled that he'd give Trey and Evalle a boost up to the ledge. Trey stepped into Tzader's cupped hands, and Tzader used kinetics as he tossed Trey up to the third floor.
Evalle went next, then Storm, who bent his knees and leaped silently to the ledge like a jaguar on steroids.
Tzader backed off and took a running start, then pushed off in a flip, shoving the palms of his hands down to use kinetics for a last push the rest of the way. He landed hard.
They all paused to listen for any disturbance below.
When no one came charging up, they huddled.
Trey said, "They're in the basement. I saw them through an opening where a vent came out, and heard the warlocks talking about guarding the witches until their queen showed up."
Tzader asked, "Did you see Lanna?"
"No."
Hopefully the young woman had been stuck somewhere out of view from that point. Tzader owed Quinn more than he could ever pay for keeping Queen Maeve and Cathbad occupied. He could not lose Lanna while Quinn stood in the gap for all of them.
Turning to his new team, Tzader explained, "I'll take point. Let's find the stairs and try to get down there without alerting them."
Easier said than done in an old building, but they were in luck. The steps to the basement were metal, which didn't creak as wood might.
He slowed as he neared the basement, which had no door blocking their way. No one spoke, but with his Belador hearing powered up, every shoe scuff came through loud and clear.
He eased forward to peek into the room.
Five beds that looked like sacrificial pedestals each held a woman, strapped down. The three on the far end of the room were middle-aged, average-looking women. The fourth one coming back this way was a younger woman who had been stripped, and her head sagged to one side. If the eyes staring at him were alive, that one was locked in her own personal horror.
The closest table held a woman with the wrinkled skin and white hair fitting Mother Mattie's description.
Where was Lanna?
If Queen Medb had taken her, why leave the rest of them here?
Tzader hoped Mattie could give him answers. Using hand signals for Storm's benefit, he told his team there were two guards at the far end, two at this end, and one on the far side who had a clear view of the entire room.
Trey gave a signal that the first warlock on the left appeared to be the leader, from what he'd seen earlier. That made sense. The other four stood still while their leader kept checking his watch.
Evalle's voice filled Tzader's head. Storm just whispered an idea to me. He'll go down there as a jaguar.
Tzader said, They might kill him on sight.
She looked at Storm, who held her gaze until she told Tzader, His majik will protect him and give us the element of surprise while they focus on him.
Tzader gave Storm a thumbs-up. Storm turned and left, hurrying back up the steps.
Where'd he go? Tzader asked Evalle after she'd shared the information with Trey.
I don't know. He told me he had a plan, so I trust him.
A huge black beast raced down the stairs, yellow eyes glowing and lips pulled back to expose sharp fangs.
Storm burst into the room and roared so loudly the windows should be exploding.
Tzader dove down the stairs and around the corner right behind him.
Warlocks were yelling and throwing hits of power at the jaguar's coat, striking him glancing blows.
Storm flew around the room, slapping sharp claws at anything standing that could bleed.
Tzader engaged the warlock Trey had fingered as the leader, who kicked and spun his hands like a ninja set on fast-forward. He hammered a kinetic blow at the warlock's head before the Medb could release whatever he was spinning.
The guy flew backwards, slammed the wall, and came down on both feet, ready to fight.
Damn, that sucker was going to be tough to kill.
Evalle and Trey each engaged a warlock. Storm leaped onto the back of one and chomped down on a big shoulder. The warlock screamed.
If he had any idea of what Scath Force could do, Tzader would link with Evalle and Trey, but they did not link unless they were certain they could defeat an enemy. Scath Force were unknowns at this point.
Tzader kept tossing kinetic slugs, right, left, right, left.
Blood sprayed from the guy's nose on the last one.
Lifting the warlock by the throat with kinetic force, Tzader had intended to slam him down.
The bastard's black lips opened, and a torrent of purple smoke boiled in Tzader's face, blinding him momentarily. He couldn't let go unless he was ready to die.
Boot heels ran across the floor behind Tzader.
That had to be the one who'd planned to escape and bring back reinforcements. Just as Storm had said.
Listening to the footsteps, Tzader spun twice and threw the smoke-bomb warlock in the direction of the noise with every bit of kinetic power he possessed.
Bones cracked as bodies smacked together and hit a solid wall with a crunch that should mean dead.
Eyes burning from the acidic smoke, Tzader could barely make out the two warlocks as they scrambled to their feet. Both launched their bodies at him. Not nearly dead enough. This was taking too damn long.
Everyone and everything kept delaying his getting to Brina.
Screw it. He was done. I will not lose the woman I l
ove.
Running toward them, Tzader lifted his hands and shoved his energy into a kinetic wall powered by all the frustration of the past week. The force slammed into the duo, driving them back into the concrete wall.
They hit so hard this time that both heads shattered like crushed eggs.
Tzader kept ramming them anyway. If not for the Medb, Brina would not have had to be locked away for years. Now he had to yank a dragon out of a throne shape, and he couldn't even do that. He'd avoided accepting it, but that damn scale would run out of energy in less than an hour.
There was no way to reach her before that. Maybe not ever.
Someone grabbed an arm on each side of him.
Evalle said, "Tzader, they're dead. We're done."
He shook with the adrenaline flooding him, but he dropped the connection and the bodies fell in two mangled heaps. Turning, he sucked in a deep breath, aware of Trey and Evalle watching him. "I'm fine. How are the witches?"
Trey said, "Those three at the end of the room are dead."
Evalle ran up the stairs and came back just as quickly with an arm full of clothes. "Over here, Storm," she called to the big cat still stalking the room, like a predator pissed off because his hunt had been cut short.
She dropped what he needed in a clean spot and used his coat to cover the young woman with the blank eyes. "This one's got a pulse, but she's cold and in bad shock."
Tzader moved over to Mattie and started freeing her legs from the leather straps. Mattie made a noise. Tzader stepped up to face her. "Are you okay? Is anything broken or ... hurt?"
"I'm fine." She sounded drunk, but he doubted she'd had a drop of alcohol. "My granddaughter." She turned to the side and whimpered. "What did he do to her?"
"Are you Mattie?" Tzader asked, trying to engage her again.
Sniffling, the witch looked around. "Yes. Where is he?"
"They're all dead."
She tried to sit up and Tzader put his arm behind her fragile body. She said, "Those are Medb warlocks. They didn't kidnap us."
"What?"
Her words were still a little slurred, but new strength wound through her voice with each word. "That bastard. A disgusting, yellow-skinned wizard."
Grendal? Please tell me I'm wrong. Tzader didn't want to ask the next question, because he knew the answer would make him sick. "Did you see a young woman here by the name of Lanna?"
"Yes. His creepy assistant captured her sneaking around outside. She's a sweet girl. When that slimeball questioned her, she said she'd used a bit of animal hair to find me. She said it loud so I would hear. She was letting me know my Oskar was safe. Look around you. This whole, horrible thing was about finding that girl. The wizard had offered to trade Queen Maeve five of us for Lanna, but then he found her first."
Rogue Belador Page 29